Prison Barge

Prison Barge
[show/hide spoilers] Spoilers hidden in infobox by default only.
Race:	Colonial
Type:	Civilian
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CO:	{{{co}}}
XO:	{{{xo}}}
Role:	Prisoner transport
Weapons:	{{{weapons}}}
Armaments:	{{{arm}}}
Defenses:	{{{def}}}
Aircraft:	{{{aircraft}}}
Aviation facilities:	{{{facilities}}}
Fate:	{{{status}}}
Emblem:	[[File:{{{patch}}}|175px|Ship's patch]]
Other Images:	Gallery
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Game Information
Cost:	{{{construction}}}
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Armor Right:	{{{armor right}}}
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Armor Rear:	{{{armor rear}}}
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Armor Bottom:	{{{armor bottom}}}
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Munition Slots:	{{{munitions}}}
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Additional Information

The Colonials flew an old-style class of liner relegated to support roles or adopted as cargo transports.

Following the destruction of the Twelve Colonies, however, at least one of these old vessels is transformed into a prison barge, where criminals were detained.

Prisoners on such a vessel are sometimes disparagingly referred to as barge lice. Ownership of security operations is overseen by Council Security ^{(TOS: "Baltar's Escape")}.

Usage

Following the discovery of a devastating long-range weapon on the ice planet Arcta, Galactica's computers are tasked with searching for those experienced with such conditions, with four of them found on the Barge: Croft, Leda, Thane, and Wolfe ^{(TOS: "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I")}.

Upon visiting the Fleet, Baltar is detained by Count Iblis and the Quorum of Twelve, and sentenced to the Barge. He is later visited there by Iblis, where Baltar comes to the conclusion that Iblis had a hand in the start of the Thousand-Yahren War ^{(TOS: "War of the Gods, Part II")}. During his stay, Baltar is briefly released by Apollo as a lure to draw out Karibdis ^{(TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star")}, but is assigned mess duty ^{(TOS: "Baltar's Escape")}.

Maga, along with his subordinates Bora and Taba, are incarcerated aboard as a result of their failed blood hunt for Chameleon ^{(TOS: "The Man with Nine Lives")}.

The Eastern Alliance enforcers led by Commandant Leiter that were captured on Paradeen are briefly incarcerated aboard the Barge. As a result of Sire Domra's ill-advised attempt to negotiate with Leiter, he and his enforcers align with Baltar and the Borellian Nomen trio to escape; all but Baltar are successful ^{(TOS: "Baltar's Escape")}. Baltar later negotiates his freedom in return for providing assistance on attacking a lone Cylon basestar ^{(TOS: "The Hand of God")}.

Sections

The Prison Barge features numerous amenities for its inmates. In addition to solitary cells, some of which are located on Epsilon deck, Beta deck is the location of the ship's mess hall, Mess Alpha ^{(TOS: "Baltar's Escape")}.

The ship's docking bay is in an aperture on the underside of the Barge ^{(TOS: "Murder on the Rising Star", "Baltar's Escape")}.

An armory and storage area are aboard, where the prisoners' possessions are kept following their intake; the Nomen and Eastern Alliance enforcers make use of this to acquire their equipment, clothing, laser rifles, and laser bola ^{(TOS: "Baltar's Escape")}.

Related Imagery

• 
  A quartet of Prison Barge inmates chosen for a mission on Arcta ^{(TOS: "The Gun on Ice Planet Zero, Part I")}.
• 
  The Prison Barge mess hall ^{(TOS: "Baltar's Escape")}.

Production Notes

Earlier Design

Unused Prison Barge model created by Apogee, Inc. for "Saga of a Star World."

An earlier design of the Prison Barge featured a spherical main body, from which protrude a cockpit module at its fore and a larger engine section at its back. The model, as well as its successor, were built by Apogee, Inc. As with other Original Series' models, this earlier design was repurposed by Universal Hartland for Buck Rogers in the 25th Century as Zykarian battlecruisers in "Journey to Oasis."

Notes

• In the Re-imagined Series, Astral Queen is a homage in both the design and purpose of the Original Series' ship.
• The Prison Barge model is reused as Mr. Duvronan's shuttle in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century's "Planet of the Amazon Women" as well as an actual ship display model in "Return of the Fighting 69th." It was later redressed as a Zaad supply ship for "Flight of the War Witch," and as a Dorian ship in the Buck Rogers' series finale, "The Dorian Secret."